£2 million fund opens for flood-affected farmers

A £2 million fund to support farmers who have suffered uninsurable damage to their property in the devastating floods in November of last year is now open for applications.

The Government confirmed in November of last year that it would extend its Farming Recovery Fund for those farmers in affected parts of South Yorkshire, Gloucestershire and the Midlands. These farmers can now apply for grants between £500 and £25,000 to cover various costs including the removal of debris, re-cultivation, and replacing damaged field gates. Those who have been affected in these areas are being encouraged to check GOV.UK to see if they're eligible to claim for this grant.

The announcement followed significant overtopping of flood defences and breaches in rives that occurred due to the unprecedented level of rainfall and subsequent flooding that devastated parts of South Yorkshire, Gloucestershire and the Midlands, including areas within Lincolnshire, Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Worcestershire.

The Farming Recovery Fund first opened in September 2019 and made £2 million available to support farmers who had been affected by flooding in North Yorkshire and Wainfleet over the summer months last year. This recent announcement brings the total funding available this year to £4 million. This aims to help those farmers affected by the disastrous events, get back on their feet.

Head of Policy at the Countryside Alliance, Sarah Lee said:

"This is welcome news for farmers who have suffered uninsurable damage during devastating flooding last November. The Farming Recovery Fund will support those farmers who need it most and we encourage those in affected areas to see if they are eligible via the GOV.UK website. Farmers are the backbone of the countryside and this flooding has hit the community hard."

Environment Secretary, Theresa Villiers said:

"I saw first-hand the impacts of the devastating flooding myself when visiting farmers in Lincolnshire in November. I am delighted we've been able to extend our Farming Recovery Fund to cover farmers in parts of the South Yorkshire, Gloucestershire and the Midlands who were hit with unprecedented weather last year. This scheme, coupled with the other measures we've announced, will help farmers get back on their feet."

RPA Chief Executive, Paul Caldwell said:

"We recognise there has been severe and unprecedented weather this year, so the RPA is working hard to offer advice and support to affected farmers to complete their Farming Recovery Fund applications. The Farming Recovery Fund provides support to farmers following extreme flooding events, contributing to the costs of the clean-up operation and to uninsurable losses. While insurance will pay out for the majority of the damage, under the Farming Recovery Fund farmers will be able to apply for money to help cover unexpected costs - such as rebuilding fences and stone walls."

Farmers who have already repaired any damage that was caused by the flooding should keep records of all relevant evidence, including receipts and before and after photos. This will help the RPA to process eligible applications as quickly as possible.

The application window for flood affected farmers in North Yorkshire and Wainfleet in Lincolnshire, which opened in September 2019, closes on 31st March 2020. The window for this extension of the Fund that has been given to those affected last November, will close on 31st July 2020 however, farmers are encouraged to submit their applications as soon as they are able to.

An informative handbook has been published on GOV.UK containing full details of which areas are eligible for the grant, what the funding covers, and how to apply for it. All farmers whose land has been flooded can access existing guidance around CAP payments here.

Information about other forms of Government recovery support, including the Business Support Grant and Property Flood Resilience Recovery Support scheme can be found here.